Big Kenny and other local musicians rise to meet Haiti’s need with benefit concert

Big Kenny shared some images from Haiti; click the photo above to see a gallery.

Six weeks after the Haiti earthquake, Nashville stars from all corners of the musical map are meeting on the Ryman stage to remind us that the country still needs help and will remain in need for a very long time.

All talent and production fees have been donated, as well as streaming services — video of the concert will be streamed online at HelpHaitiLive.com, where visitors can donate directly to Compassion International.

“Nashville’s got a great big heart,” Alphin says.

“The artists and the people that I run into, they all want to help. They all ask me, ‘How can I help? What can I do?’ This is such a great opportunity for all of the musicians to come together and do what we do best.”
The cause is bringing together a wide range of local musicians that wouldn’t find themselves on the same bill otherwise. Contemporary Christian artist Brandon Heath will open the show along with rock/soul singer-songwriters Matt Wertz and Dave Barnes, leading off a night that meshes Christian rock with bluegrass and modern country.

“It’s going to be a special night — not only the cause, but playing music with people that I look up to,” Heath says.

He’s also assured that the money raised by the show will be put to good use. Compassion International has already supplied more than 15,000 families with food, shelter, supplies and counseling.

Heath sponsors two children through the organization in Uganda and India.

“Compassion is very focused on children,” he says. “If you love on the children, you move the family.”

It’s the images of children in Haiti that have stayed in the forefront of Alphin’s mind since visiting the country last month.

“One of the sights that I cannot get out of my head are children knelt down on the side of the street where death lay in piles, drinking water with their cupped hands out of puddles,” he says. “No child anywhere should suffer an existence like that.”

Alphin had gone to Haiti to search for his friend Walt Ratterman, a renewable energy specialist who had been in Haiti at the time of the earthquake. Ratterman’s remains were found Feb. 7, and a memorial was held last Saturday.

Alphin has been inspired by words Ratterman shared in his final e-mail to Alphin: “The most important things in life are helping other people and music, and I guess that’s why the two of us met up.”

“Music’s such an important part of my life,” Alphin says.

“But I don’t want the success that’s come with it if I can’t do something with it. My heart doesn’t feel right. Vice-versa, I wouldn’t want to live in a world like (Haiti) and not have music in it. It’s the great balance in life that we’ve all got to search for.”